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Friday, March 2, 2018

Valluvar on Right Conduct

Valluvar on Right Conduct

Dr. R. Prabhakaran

Bel Air, MD, USA

 

Introduction

Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong” conduct. Although they are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different. The word “Ethics” refers to the rules provided by an external source, such as the codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions. The term “morals” refers to an individual’s own principles regarding right and wrong. An individual gets his ideas regarding right and wrong from religion, society, parents, self-study, and observations. Therefore, an individual’s morals are influenced by the ethics of the society in which he lives. 

 

Preference of right conduct over life

Valluvar uses the term right conduct to include an individual’s principles regarding the ideal way of conducting himself in a given society. Right conduct results in respect, recognition, reward, and self-satisfaction. Although one excels in knowledge and many virtues, there is nothing better than right conduct to help him attain eminence. Since right conduct results in eminence, Valluvar is convinced that if one has a choice between life and right conduct, one should protect one’s right conduct more carefully than one’s own life. In other words, leading a life without the right conduct is not really worth it. These ideas can be seen in the following kurals:  

 

Right conduct should be carefully preserved and guarded. Though one knows and excels

in many virtues, right conduct alone will come to one’s aid.                                                                        (kural – 132)

 

Since right conduct leads to eminence, it should be preserved more carefully than life itself.                    (kural – 131)

 

There are people who are really convinced that right conduct is even more important than life itself. During World War II, the US ship SS Dorchester was struck by a submarine’s torpedo and started to sink. The lives of the people in the ship were in grave danger. Lieutenants George Fox, Alexander Goode, John Washington, and Clark Poling were chaplains of varying faiths who were stationed in the sinking ship, the Dorchester. When the ship started to sink, the chaplains quickly rallied the troops together and began handing out life jackets and directed people to safety. When the supply of life jackets ran out, they selflessly gave away their own life jackets. Then, the chaplains joined hands, said prayers, and sang hymns as they went down with the ship. The Four Chaplains are sometimes referred to as the "Immortal Chaplains" or the "Dorchester Chaplains.” In 1948, the United States Postal Service issued a three-cent stamp to commemorate their brave and selfless sacrifice. There is no doubt that the four chaplains valued helping others to survive as more important than their own lives. Like the chaplains, there are countless other examples of people taking life-threatening risks to save others in trouble. These are people who value right conduct more than their own precious lives. 

 

The concept of honor is closely related to that of right conduct. In fact, one’s right conduct is the basis of one’s honor. Someone who fails to pursue the right conduct is likely to experience criticism by others, bad reputation, guilt, disgrace, and even loss of honor. In Japanese culture, when someone has failed in his duties or found guilty of a significant crime or suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of an enemy or a competitor, they feel that their honor is at stake. Under these circumstances, it is not unusual for some people to commit suicide. These people resort to these extreme measures because they feel their honor is more valuable than their own lives. William Shakespeare reflects the same sentiment in his play,  Troilus and Cressida, where he says, “Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life.”

 

Valluvar does not recommend suicide as a remedy for loss of honor or reputation. To him, life is precious. Therefore, it should be protected. But right conduct is more important than life. Therefore, one should protect right conduct more carefully than life.

 

Right Conduct leads to greatness

According to Valluvar, “A man with an envious nature cannot get riches. So also, a man without right conduct will not achieve greatness. (kural – 135)”. Envy is defined as a feeling of discontent or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions. Psychologists believe that there are two kinds of envy: the benign kind and the malicious kind. They say benign envy is healthy, and it motivates an individual to work hard and obtain the things he desires. On the other hand, malicious envy is unhealthy and leads to indignation, frustration, resentment, and anger. As a result, the one with malicious envy may not get what he desires, including riches. It looks like, Valluvar had the malicious kind of envy in mind for the kural 135. 

 

Strength of character and right Conduct

Though right conduct is the most desirable quality, it is not easy to practice it consistently. Valluvar says that only those with extraordinary willpower and strength of character will always practice the right conduct. He also knows that straying away from right conduct may have severe adverse consequences.

 

People with strong minds do not swerve from proper conduct. They know its breach will spell ruin.             (kural – 136) 

 

Impropriety of conduct leads to disgrace and distress

Even men in high positions sometimes fail to follow the right conduct. There are many examples of people who ended up in disgrace despite all their remarkable achievements. In recent memory, there have been two US presidents who ended up in disgrace. It is not easy to become the most powerful man and the leader of the free world. So far, in the history of the world, there have been only 46 people who have risen to the elevated and the most respected position of US president. Two of them slipped from right conduct despite their phenomenal achievements and ended up in disgrace of historic proportion. 

 

One of them was Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States of America. In many respects, President Nixon was an able administrator. He ended the American involvement in the war in Vietnam in 1973, brought home the American prisoners of war, and ended the military draftNixon's visit to China in 1972 eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations. He initiated détente and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union in the same year. He enforced the desegregation of Southern schools, established the Environmental Protection Agency, and began the War on Cancer. He was re-elected in one of the largest electoral landslides in U.S. history in 1972 when he defeated George McGovern. But despite all these accomplishments, he got himself involved in the Watergate scandal. His 1972 re-election campaign was involved in the break-in and wiretapping at the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC’s) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. Nixon and his administration were involved in the cover-up, and Nixon himself was not very truthful. As a result of Nixon’s cover-up and illegal activities, he was investigated and was about to be impeached. He resigned before the actual impeachment proceedings. 

 

Another example of a man in a very powerful position who disgraced himself was President Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States of America. Clinton presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history. He passed the Welfare Reform Act and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. He was very popular and maintained a very high favorable rating throughout his presidency. But his extramarital activities landed him in trouble. He was investigated and found guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice in a sex scandal case. He was impeached by the House of Representatives and was later acquitted by the US Senate. Thus, a powerful man with a brilliant record of accomplishments ended in disgrace because of a lack of moral character. 

 

Valluvar claims that right conduct is a real virtue, and deviation from right conduct will cause disgrace and distress. The downfall of powerful men like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton is a warning to others that if the right conduct is ignored, the consequences can be catastrophic. Valluvar’s warning in this regard can be seen in the following kurals. 

 

Men obtain greatness from the propriety of conduct. The impropriety of conduct results in untold disgrace.          (kural – 137)

 

Propriety of conduct is the seed of virtue. The impropriety of conduct will always cause distress.                         (kural – 138)

 

 

Secular approach to right Conduct 

It should be noted that Valluvar’s stance on right conduct is different from that of the religions. Religions invoke the concept of sin to ensure that people follow the right conduct. In other words, according to religions, not following the right conduct is a sin. In order to avoid committing a sin, religions encourage people to follow the right conduct. According to Valluvar, one should follow the principles of right conduct simply because it is the right thing to do and not for any religious reasons.

 

Effect of impropriety of conduct upon the family

The disgrace of those who failed to follow the right conduct may also affect their family members. There is a reference to such an incident in Tamil literature. Approximately 2,000 years ago, there was a king by the name Nannan who ruled a small kingdom in Tamil Nadu. In those days, it was customary for the kings to declare a particular tree as their royal tree. According to the prevailing custom, king Nannan had declared a specific mango tree his royal tree. Cutting the royal tree or its branches or eating that tree's fruit was considered a significant crime. One day, a young girl was swimming in a river adjoining the royal tree. A fruit from the royal mango tree fell in the river. This girl ate the mango fruit that fell into the river. The palace guards noticed that the girl had eaten the fruit from the royal tree. They went and reported the incident to king Nannan. He declared her guilty and sentenced her to death. The girl’s father pleaded for mercy and even told the king that as a penalty for his daughter’s act, he would donate 81 elephants to King Nannan. But the king ignored the father’s plea and asked the guards to execute the young girl. The guards carried out the order. This incident caused irreparable damage to the reputation of the king, his family, and his progeny. Many years later, a poet refused to hug Nannan’s offspring Ilaviccikko because he was the descendant of Nannan. In other words, ignominy arising from the ruthless act of Nannan affected his descendants. Valluvar warns that if someone fails to follow the right conduct, their family members may also be disgraced, and their reputation may also be discredited.

 

Right conduct helps to advance the status and dignity of a family; bad conduct destroys

the status and dignity of the family.                                                                                                                           (kural – 133)

 

What is right contact?

Admittedly, Valluvar has demonstrated the need for right conduct and the disastrous consequences of failing to pursue right conduct. But one critical question remains to be answered. What does Valluvar consider as right conduct? Valluvar’s answer to this question is as follows: 

 

Those who fail to conduct themselves in harmony with the world are ignorant despite their vast learning.          (kural – 140) 

 

So, according to Valluvar, right conduct is what is determined as the right conduct by the world. But there are no uniform standards for right conduct in the world. However, different countries and cultures have their own codes of conduct. Therefore, it makes sense to interpret the word “world” as that part of the world where one lives instead of the whole world. Further, what was considered the right conduct in the past may not be regarded as the right conduct at the present time. For example, child marriages were not unusual in India about two centuries ago. Now, it is against the law, and therefore, it is not right conduct for someone to marry a child. Also, in India, widow re-marriage was unacceptable in the past. Today, it is not uncommon. In the past, having a child out of wedlock was considered shameful and unacceptable by American society. As of 2008, about 40.6 percent of children were born to unmarried mothers, and the number of children out of wedlock is increasing. So, right conduct is a function of the community where one lives and the period in which one lives. Valluvar conveys the same idea in another kural in a different context. He says, “It is wisdom to conform to the ways of the world (kural – 426).”

 

By stating that right conduct is living in harmony with the world, Valluvar has addressed the question in general terms, and his answer is valid for all parts of the world and for all ages. Valluvar adapts the same technique and keeps his remarks general enough in other contexts also. In the chapter on “Education (Chapter- 40)”, Valluvar says “Whatever is to be learnt should be learnt flawlessly, and after having learnt, live accordingly (kural – 391).” It should be noted that Valluvar does not specify any particular subject. What people study today is vastly different from what was studied during Valluvar’s days. If he had provided a list of subjects to be studied, such a list will have no relevance in the modern educational system. In the chapter on the “Glory of Defense Forces (Chapter-77)”, he says, “The defense force which is complete in its components and undaunted by setbacks and capable of gaining victory is the chief asset of a ruler (kural – 761).” The modern weaponry and the various components of the defense forces are entirely different from what existed during the days of Valluvar. If he had mentioned the details about the weapons or the components of the defense forces, his statements would no longer be valid. As in the case of education and defense forces, Valluvar uses generalization so that his ideas regarding right conduct will be valid at all times and in all communities and cultures. 

 

Conclusion

Valluvar considers life as precious, and it should be protected. But, to him, right conduct is more important than life, and therefore right conduct should be protected more carefully than life itself. There are people who risk their lives to help others. The actions of these people validate Valluvar’s view on right conduct. Right conduct helps to achieve eminence in one’s life. But only those who have the strength of character can pursue right conduct on all occasions. Improper conduct of an individual leads to disgrace and distress not only for him but also for his family. Valluvar’s concept of what is right conduct is not based on any religion. According to him, right conduct is determined by the community and the period in which one lives. Valluvar’s approach in adopting the generalizations and avoiding the specifics has enabled his ideas to transcend the boundaries of space and time, and thus his ageless wisdom continues to be universally applicable and eternally valid. 




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Appendix
ஒழுக்கமுடைமை
ஒழுக்கம் விழுப்பம் தரலான் ஒழுக்கம்
உயிரினும் ஓம்பப் படும்.                                              (குறள் – 131)
பரிந்தோம்பிக் காக்க ஒழுக்கம் தெரிந்துஓம்பித்
தேரினும் அஃதே துணை.                                            (குறள் – 132)
ஒழுக்கம் உடைமை குடிமை இழுக்கம்
இழிந்த பிறப்பாய் விடும்.                                             (குறள் – 133)   
அழுக்காறு உடையான்கண் ஆக்கம்போன்று இல்லை
ஒழுக்கம் இலான்கண் உயர்வு.                                     (குறள் – 135)
ஒழுக்கத்தின் ஒல்கார் உரவோர் இழுக்கத்தின்
ஏதம் படுபாக்கு அறிந்து.                                              (குறள் – 136)
ஒழுக்கத்தின் எய்துவர் மேன்மை இழுக்கத்தின்
எய்துவர் எய்தாப் பழி.                                                 (குறள் – 137)
நன்றிக்கு வித்தாகும் நல்லொழுக்கம் தீயொழுக்கம்
என்றும் இடும்பை தரும்.                                              (குறள் – 138)   
உலகத்தோடு ஒட்ட ஒழுகல் பலகற்றும்
கல்லார் அறிவிலா தார்                                                (குறள் – 140)

கல்வி
கற்க கசடறக் கற்பவை கற்றபின்
நிற்க அதற்குத் தக.                                                      (குறள் – 391)

அறிவுடைமை
எவ்வ துறைவது உலகம் உலகத்தோடு
அவ்வது உறைவது அறிவு.                                          (குறள் – 426)

படைமாட்சி
உறுப்பமைந்து ஊறஞ்சா வெல்படை வேந்தன்
வெறுக்கையுள் எல்லாம் தலை.                                    (குறள் – 761)


[1]. Chaplain is a member of the clergy attached to a private chapel, institution, ship, or branch of the armed forces, etc.
[2] . In Japanese, this type of suicide is called hara-kiri. Though these are not unusual, they are relatively rare.